System, computer program product, and method for capturing and processing form data

Abstract

A system for communicating packaged data includes a pen-enabled computing device and a second computing device. The pen-enabled computing device includes a handwriting capture interface, a user interface and a processing element. The handwriting capture interface is capable of receiving and capturing an electronic handwriting input within at least one input field of an electronic form based upon a position of a writing stylus. To facilitate proper operation of the pen-enabled computing device, the user interface is adapted to provide feedback, such as aural, visual and/or vibration feedback, based upon the electronic handwriting input. The pen-enabled computing device is capable of transmitting packaged data including at least one form identifier and processed electronic handwriting input. Thereafter, the second computing device is capable of receiving the packaged data and then verifying the processed electronic handwriting input.

1 . A method of communicating and processing packaged data from a pen-enabled computing device, said method comprising: 
 transmitting the packaged data, wherein the packaged data includes at least one form identifier and processed electronic handwriting input;    receiving the packaged data and thereafter parsing the packaged data into the at least one form identifier and the processed electronic handwriting input; and    verifying the processed electronic handwriting input when the processed electronic handwriting input comprises at least one of a text representation of handwriting input for character recognition and a selection associated with at least one of a checkbox and a radio button.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein when the packaged data includes a text representation of handwriting input for character recognition the packaged data further includes an associated handwriting input for character recognition, and wherein verifying the text representation comprises: 
 converting the handwriting input for character recognition into at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input;    comparing the at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input and the text representation of the electronic handwriting input; and    selecting an acceptable text representation of the handwriting input based upon the comparison.    
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein comparing the at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input and the text representation of the electronic handwriting input comprises: 
 calculating at least one combined confidence value for the at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input and the text representation of the electronic handwriting input, wherein calculating the at least one combined confidence value comprises combining at least one confidence value associated with the respective text representations of the handwriting input; and    comparing the combined confidence values to determine a combined confidence value having the highest combined confidence value,    wherein selecting an acceptable text representation comprises selecting the text representation associated with the highest combined confidence value.    
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the handwriting input for character recognition includes a plurality of handwritten characters, wherein the text representation of the handwriting input comprises at least one text representation for each handwritten character having respective confidence values, wherein converting the handwriting input for character recognition comprises converting each handwritten character into at least one additional text representation of the handwritten character having respective confidence values, wherein combining the at least one confidence value comprises combining, for each different text representation of a handwritten character, the confidence values for the respective text representation and at least one additional text representation of the handwritten character, and wherein comparing the combined confidence values comprises comparing the combined confidence value for each different text representation of the handwritten character.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein converting the handwriting input comprises converting the handwriting input into a plurality of additional text representations of the handwriting input according to different respective conversion methods.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein verifying a selection associated with at least one of a checkbox and a radio button comprises applying at least one business rule to the selection based upon at least one form definition associated with the at least one form identifier.  
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the packaged data further includes compressed free-form handwriting input, said method further comprising at least one of rendering the free-form handwriting input, uncompressing the compressed free-form handwriting input and storing the compressed free-form handwriting input, wherein at least one of uncompressing and storing the compressed free-form handwriting input occur after parsing the packaged data.  
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the packaged data comprises transmitting the packaged data from a pen-enabled computing device, and wherein receiving, parsing and verifying the processed electronic handwriting input occur at a server computing device located remote from the pen-enabled computing device.  
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 8  further comprising: 
 capturing handwriting input for character recognition at a pen-enabled computing device and thereafter converting the handwriting input into a text representation of the handwriting input, wherein the processed electronic handwriting input comprises the text representation of the handwriting input and the handwriting input, wherein capturing and converting occur before transmitting the packaged data, and    wherein verifying the text representation comprises:    converting the handwriting input into at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input;    comparing the at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input and the text representation of the electronic handwriting input; and    selecting an acceptable text representation of the handwriting input based upon the comparison.    
   
   
       10 . A computer program product for communicating and processing packaged data from a pen-enabled computing device, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in said medium, the computer-readable program code comprising: 
 a first executable portion for transmitting the packaged data, wherein the packaged data includes at least one form identifier and processed electronic handwriting input;    a second executable portion for receiving the packaged data and thereafter parsing the packaged data into the at least one form identifier and the processed electronic handwriting input; and    a third executable portion for verifying the processed electronic handwriting input when the processed electronic handwriting input comprises at least one of a text representation of handwriting input for character recognition and a selection associated with at least one of a checkbox and a radio button.    
   
   
       11 . A computer program product according to  claim 10 , wherein when the packaged data includes a text representation of handwriting input for character recognition the packaged data further includes an associated handwriting input for character recognition, and wherein said third executable portion verifies the text representation according to the following: 
 converting the handwriting input for character recognition into at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input for character recognition;    comparing the at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input and the text representation of the electronic handwriting input; and    selecting an acceptable text representation of the handwriting input based upon the comparison.    
   
   
       12 . A computer program product according to  claim 11 , wherein said third executable portion compares the at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input and the text representation of the electronic handwriting input comprises by: 
 calculating at least one combined confidence value for the at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input and the text representation of the electronic handwriting input, wherein calculating the at least one combined confidence value comprises combining at least one confidence value associated with the respective text representations of the handwriting input; and    comparing the combined confidence values to determine a combined confidence value having the highest combined confidence value,    wherein said third executable portion selects the acceptable text representation by selecting the text representation associated with the highest combined confidence value.    
   
   
       13 . A computer program product according to  claim 12 , wherein the handwriting input for character recognition includes a plurality of handwritten characters, wherein the text representation of the handwriting input comprises at least one text representation for each handwritten character having respective confidence values, wherein said third executable portion converting the handwriting input for character recognition by converting each handwritten character into at least one additional text representation of the handwritten character having respective confidence values, wherein said third executable portion combines the at least one confidence value by combining, for each different text representation of a handwritten character, the confidence values for the respective text representation and at least one additional text representation of the handwritten character, and wherein said third executable portion compares the combined confidence values comprises comparing the combined confidence value for each different text representation of the handwritten character.  
   
   
       14 . A computer program product according to  claim 11 , wherein said third executable portion converts the handwriting input by converting the handwriting input into a plurality of additional text representations of the handwriting input according to different respective conversion methods.  
   
   
       15 . A computer program product according to  claim 11 , wherein said third executable portion verifies a selection associated with at least one of a checkbox and a radio button by applying at least one business rule to the selection based upon at least one form definition associated with the at least one form identifier.  
   
   
       16 . A computer program product according to  claim 11 , wherein the packaged data further includes compressed free-form handwriting input, said computer program product further comprising a fourth executable portion for at least one of rendering the free-form handwriting input, uncompressing the compressed free-form handwriting input and storing the compressed free-form handwriting input, wherein at least one of uncompressing and storing the compressed free-form handwriting input occur after parsing the packaged data.  
   
   
       17 . A computer program product according to  claim 11 , wherein said first executable portion transmits the packaged data from a pen-enabled computing device, and wherein said second receives and parses the packaged data and said third executable portion verifies the packaged data at a server computing device located remote from the pen-enabled computing device.  
   
   
       18 . A computer program product according to  claim 17  further comprising: 
 a fourth executable portion for capturing handwriting input for character recognition at a pen-enabled computing device and thereafter converting the handwriting input into a text representation of the handwriting input, wherein the processed electronic handwriting input comprises the text representation of the handwriting input and the handwriting input, wherein said fourth executable portion captures and converts the handwriting input occur before said first executable portion transmits the packaged data, and    wherein said third executable portion verifies the text representation by:    converting the handwriting input into at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input;    comparing the at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input and the text representation of the electronic handwriting input; and    selecting an acceptable text representation of the handwriting input based upon the comparison.    
   
   
       19 . A system for communicating packaged data, said system comprising: 
 a pen-enabled computing device capable of transmitting the packaged data, wherein the packaged data includes at least one form identifier and processed electronic handwriting input; and    a second computing device capable of receiving the packaged data and thereafter parsing the packaged data into the at least one form identifier and the processed electronic handwriting input, wherein said second computing device is further capable of verifying the processed electronic handwriting input when the processed electronic handwriting input comprises at least one of a text representation of handwriting input for character recognition and a selection associated with at least one of a checkbox and a radio button.    
   
   
       20 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein when the packaged data includes a text representation of handwriting input for character recognition the packaged data further includes an associated handwriting input for character recognition, wherein said second computing device is capable of converting the handwriting input for character recognition into at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input for character recognition, wherein said second computing device is capable of comparing the at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input and the text representation of the electronic handwriting input, and wherein said second computing device is capable of selecting an acceptable text representation of the handwriting input based upon the comparison to thereby verify the text representation of handwriting input for character recognition.  
   
   
       21 . A system according to  claim 20 , wherein said second computing device is capable of comparing the at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input and the text representation of the electronic handwriting input by calculating at least one combined confidence value for the at least one additional text representation of the handwriting input and the text representation of the electronic handwriting input by combining at least one confidence value associated with the respective text representations of the handwriting input, and thereafter comparing the combined confidence values to determine a combined confidence value having the highest combined confidence value, wherein said second computing device is capable of selecting an acceptable text representation by selecting the text representation associated with the highest combined confidence value.  
   
   
       22 . A system according to  claim 21 , wherein the handwriting input for character recognition includes a plurality of handwritten characters, wherein the text representation of the handwriting input comprises at least one text representation for each handwritten character having respective confidence values, wherein said second computing device is capable of converting the handwriting input for character recognition by converting each handwritten character into at least one additional text representation of the handwritten character having respective confidence values, wherein said second computing device is capable of combining the at least one confidence value by combining, for each different text representation of a handwritten character, the confidence values for the respective text representation and at least one additional text representation of the handwritten character, and wherein said second computing device is capable of comparing the combined confidence values by comparing the combined confidence value for each different text representation of the handwritten character.  
   
   
       23 . A system according to  claim 20 , wherein said second computing device is capable of converting the handwriting input for character recognition into a plurality of additional text representations of the handwriting input according to different respective conversion methods.  
   
   
       24 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein said second computing device is capable of verifying a selection associated with at least one of a checkbox and a radio button by applying at least one business rule to the selection based upon at least one form definition associated with the at least one form identifier.  
   
   
       25 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein the packaged data further includes compressed free-form handwriting input, wherein said second computing device is further capable of at least one of uncompressing the compressed free-form handwriting input, rendering and storing the compressed free-form handwriting input.  
   
   
       26 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein said second computing device includes a database capable of storing at least one of the packaged data and the at least one form identifier and the processed electronic handwriting input parsed from the packaged data.  
   
   
       27 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein said second computing device is further capable of transmitting at least one of the packaged data and the processed electronic handwriting input.  
   
   
       28 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein the at least one form identifier is associated with at least one form definition for at least one electronic form, wherein said second computing device includes a database capable of storing the at least one form definition, and wherein said second computing device is capable of associating the processed electronic handwriting input with at least one form definition associated with the at least one form identifier of the packaged data received from said pen-enabled computing device.  
   
   
       29 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein said pen-enabled computing device is capable of capturing handwriting input comprising at least one free-form handwriting input, handwriting input for character recognition, at least one checkbox selection and at least one radio button selection, wherein said pen-enabled computing device is capable of converting the handwriting input for character recognition into a text representation of the handwriting input, wherein the processed electronic handwriting input comprises the text representation of the handwriting input and the handwriting input, wherein capturing and converting occur before transmitting the packaged data, wherein said pen-enabled computing device is capable of transmitting the packaged data to said second computing device located remote from said pen-enabled computing device, and wherein said second computing device comprises a server computing device.